1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to telecommunications interconnection and cross connection equipment and, more particularly, is concerned with a telecommunications enclosure box employing mounting brackets for compactly supporting and housing components that provide communicative connection of remote multimedia equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The organization and management of voice and data telecommunications networks in building and office environments involves the provision of connection assemblies in or near work areas. These connection assemblies establish connection points for both horizontal and vertical runs of cables with one another or with patch cords providing routing to work stations. These connection assemblies further facilitate terminations between the horizontal cables and patch cords which remain undisturbed when the patch cords leading to the work stations have to be reconfigured to make changes in work station arrangements.
There are many different connection assemblies manufactured and sold by Hubbell Premise Wiring, Inc., a subsidiary of Hubbell Incorporated, of Stonington, Conn., which address the demands of diverse cross connection and interconnection schemes. These connection assemblies have performed well and have achieved general acceptance among users in the commercial marketplace. However, as with all products, the need arises from time to time for further innovations which will enhance performance and address additional demands, such as, for more concentrated telecommunication in decentralized applications involving diverse institutions and establishments, for instance, schools, hospitals, warehouses and retail enterprises.
The present invention relates to a telecommunications enclosure box designed to satisfy the aforementioned need by employing mounting brackets for compactly supporting and housing various components that provide communicative connection of remote multimedia equipment. The enclosure box provides a more simplified and efficient support of the various communicative connection components by using a plurality of pairs of mounting brackets which are mounted in the enclosure box so as to enable support of the various components in different configurations. Also, one of the pairs of mounting brackets provides a positive displacement stop and allows pivotal movement of a connection component to a temporary work position that accommodates and facilitates the carrying out final installation terminations.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a telecommunications enclosure box for compactly supporting and housing components that provide communicative connection of remote multimedia equipment. The enclosure box comprises: (a) a base including a back wall and a side wall connected to and surrounding the back wall so as to form an interior cavity therewith, the side wall also forming a peripheral edge defining a front opening to the interior cavity; (b) a front door mounted to the side wall of the base to undergo movement toward and away from the back wall of the base for opening and closing the front opening to the interior cavity of the base to thereby respectively expose and enclose the interior cavity of the base; (c) a pair of first mounting brackets and a pair of second mounting brackets, each pair having means for attaching with and thereby supporting the various components for communicative connection of remote multimedia equipment, the first mounting brackets being attached to the base; and (d) a plurality of first securing elements and a plurality of second securing elements, each of the first securing elements being complementary in configuration to a respective one of the second securing elements for matable interfitting of the first securing element with the second securing element, the first securing elements being formed on one of the back wall of the base and the second mounting brackets, the second securing elements being formed on the other of the back wall of the base and the second mounting brackets and matably interfitted with the respective first securing elements to mount the second mounting brackets on the back wall of the base.
More particularly, each of the first securing elements includes a loop having a rigid construction and protruding outwardly from one of the second mounting bracket and the back wall of the base and a slot defined adjacent to the loop. Each of the second securing elements includes a tongue having a rigid construction and formed on the other of the second mounting bracket and the back wall of the base by a generally U-shaped slot defined therein. The tongue matably interfits through the slot adjacent to the loop.
The first mounting brackets are substantially mirror images of one another. In a first embodiment of the enclosure box where the front door has a first depth size, each of the first mounting brackets includes only a first inner bracket member fixedly attached to the base. In a second embodiment of the enclosure box where the front door has a second depth size larger than the first depth size, each of the first mounting brackets includes both the first inner bracket member and a first outer bracket member. The first inner bracket member is fixedly attached to the back wall of the base and the first outer bracket member is mounted to the first inner bracket member. The rigid loop of the first securing element is formed on one of the first inner bracket member and first outer bracket member. The rigid tongue of the second securing element is formed on the other of the first inner bracket member and first outer bracket member and aligns and matably interfitted with the respective rigid loop of the first securing element to mount the first outer bracket member to the first inner bracket member.
Further, the second mounting brackets are substantially mirror images of one another. Each second mounting bracket includes a second inner bracket member mounted to the back wall of the base and a second outer bracket member mounted to the second inner bracket member so as to permit the second outer bracket member to undergo pivotal movement relative to the second inner bracket member. Each second mounting bracket has formed thereon either one of a pair of spaced apart first securing elements and a pair of spaced apart second securing elements. The back wall of the base has the other of the pair of spaced apart first securing elements and the pair of spaced apart second securing elements formed thereon and being aligned and interfitted with the one of the pair of spaced apart first securing elements and the pair of spaced apart second securing elements so as to mount the second mounting brackets on the back wall of the base. Also, the back wall of the base has a pair of spaced apart tabs cut and bend out therefrom so as to lie along and support the respective second inner bracket members of the second mounting brackets.